Vehicle-spring



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. W'HITCOMB, OF BELOIT, \VISGONSIN.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,099, dated March 11, 1890.

Application filed January 1'7, 1890. Serial No. 337,282. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. \VHITCOMB, of Beloit, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicle-springs.

The object of my present invention is to provide vehicle-springs which shall be simple in construction and effective in operation.

A further object is to so construct and arrangethepartsthattheoperation of thesprings shall be easy and compensate for jars when the wheels of the vehicle come into contact with impediments.

lVith these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and peculiar combinations and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2

' is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detached view of one of the shackles which connect the crank levers with the end springs. Fig. l is a view of a modification.

A A indicate vehicle axles of any preferred able reach A and braced by means of rods a. A fifth-wheel B is mounted upon the front axle and carries ahead-block B, a semi elliptical spring 0 being placed upon said headblock, and allof said parts connected together by means of a shackle ct. A semi-elliptical spring 0 is clipped to the rear axle A in any suitable manner. The free ends of the springs G are provided with downwardly-extending ears b, perforated for the reception of a pin 1), by which a shackle or is pivoted between said ears. Each of these shackles a is composed of a U-shaped loop 0, having perforated bosses c fixed to its free ends for the reception of the pin 1), and a similarly shaped loop d, having perforated bosses at its free ends, this loop being interlocked within the firstmentioned loop, as shown in Fig. 3. Mounted upon the bolt or pin 1), between the bosses c, is a ring cl, of rubber or other elastic material, which bears against the top of the loop 1d and prevents rattling of the parts.

The free ends of a pair of crank-levers D are furnished with perforated bosses (2, adapted to be inserted between the bosses of the loop d, and pivotally attached thereto by means of a pin e. B attachin the springs O with crank-levers D through the medium of the shackles a said levers are permitted to have a slight general movement. The crank-levers D, being pivotally connected to the front and rear semi-elliptical springs O, are projected .round spring-steel and provided at the centers of their horizontal arms d with inwardly-proj ecting arms E, of steel or other suitable material, said arms being secured to or made integral with the levers D and extended inj wardly nearly to a point of meeting centrally beneath the vehicle-body.

A bracket g, having downwardly-extending ears g, is secured to the vehicle body near each end thereof, for the reception and support of the ends of a spring F, pivoted between the ears of said bracket and extending :from end to end of the vehicle-body beneath the same.

construction, preferably connected by a suit- 1 Secured to the spring F, preferably at its j center, is a bar G, curved to form a cam G at t each end and placed over or 011 each side of said spring F, and has its upper surface near "its ends channeled for the reception and proper support of the free end of the arms E.

This cam-bar G will preferably be made of wood; or, if desired, said cam-bar may be where the levers D are attached to the springs O, and the point f, where the crank-levers are attached to the body, always remains the same any weight placed in the body will depress the levers D E and the spring F just in proportion as the free ends of said levers maybe lengthened or shortened, and as the cams G are so made that a slight depression of the levers will increase the distance from the point f to where they rest on the cams, thus throwing more weight on springs C, and thereby compensating for and lessening the strain on the center spring F, and as the point of contact of the levers on the cam is variable according to the movements of said lever, it will be seen that any sudden shock or additional weight will gradually be applied to the spring F, which will be as gradually relieved, thereby bringing said spring to a normal condition with ease and comfort to the occupants. By this construction and arrangement it will be seen that when a wheel of the Vehicle strikes an obstacle the shock caused thereby motion of the body will be materially lessened.

It is evident that many slight changes might be made in the constructive details of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope. Hencel do not wish to limit myself to the'precise details of construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a Vehicle, of two pivoted crank-levers having inwardly-extending arms, a body mounted on the crank-levers, a spring attached to the ends of the body, and a bar secured to said spring and supportingthe free ends of the inwardly-extending arms of the levers, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vehicle, the combination, with front and rear axles, of a semi-elliptical spring I mounted on each axle, crank-levers pivoted to said springs, a body mounted upon the crank-levers, and a spring attached to the body and bearing against arms of the cranking inwardly from said crank-levers, a vehiele-body mounted upon the crank-levers and pivotally connected thereto, a spring attached to the body at opposite ends, and a cam-bar secured to said spring and having grooves for the reception of the free ends of the inwardly-extending arms of the crank-levers,

substantially as set forth.

4. In a vehicle, the combination, with the body, of bars with cams thereon, as described, a central spring located under the body, and independent levers to bear 011 the cam-bar, whereby pressure or weight brought to bear on said spring is automatically increased or diminished.

5. In a vehicle, the combination, with a body and two pivoted crank-levers having inwardly-extending arms, of a central spring attached at its ends to the body, and a bar having a cam-surface upon which said inwardly-extending arms bear and have an automatic movement when weight is brought to bear upon the spring, substantially as set forth.

' 6. In a vehicle, the combination, with the axles thereof, of semi-elliptical springs secured thereto, ears at the extremities of said springs, double shackles adapted to be pivoted between said ears, elastic rings upon the pivot-pin which connects the shackles with the springs, crank-levers also pivoted to said shackles, arms extending inwardly from said crank-levers, avehicle-body mounted upon the crank-levers, a spring secured to the body at opposite ends, and a cam-bar secured to said spring and adapted to support the free ends of the arms of the eranlelevers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specific tion in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. WI-IITCOMB. 

